'Give peace a chance': Israeli protesters urge opposition to ally with Arab parties

What Happened

On Saturday, hundreds of Israeli protesters gathered in Tel Aviv urging opposition parties to ally with Arab-majority parties to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The protest followed Tuesday's inconclusive election, in which neither bloc won a majority of the 120-seat Knesset. Jewish-majority parties opposed to Netanyahu won 48 seats, while the Arab-majority parties Raam and the Joint List won a combined 19 seats; an alliance between the two camps could produce a 67-seat majority. Opposition chief Gadi Eisenkot has not decided whether to seek a coalition with them. He reiterated at the rally that he would only form a 'Zionist government' whose members commit to recognition of Israel as a Jewish, democratic and liberal state and recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organisation—conditions Arab leaders have previously refused. Raam leader Mansour Abbas has voiced willingness to join a government again; Arab parties have only once formally sat in an Israeli government, from 2021 to 2022. Demonstrators quoted by AFP called the move 'the last chance for real change' and urged opposition leaders to 'give peace a chance.'

Key Actors

Why It Matters

A potential opposition–Arab alliance would be the first since the 2021–2022 coalition and could end Netanyahu's tenure. It would test whether Arab parties can again become formal kingmakers in Israeli politics. However, Eisenkot's security positions on Gaza closely align with Netanyahu's, suggesting any resulting government may not immediately change the course of the Gaza war; the political shift would be in composition and rhetoric rather than declared military strategy.

Watch For

Monitor whether Gadi Eisenkot seeks either formal coalition partnership or external support from Raam and the Joint List, and whether Mansour Abbas accepts the 'Zionist government' conditions. Watch for statements from parties within the opposition bloc that oppose Arab participation, and for any coalition-formation deadline or Knesset vote in the coming weeks.